One step in the electrophotographic printing process typically involves providing a relatively uniform layer of toner on a toner carrier, such as a developer roller, that in turn supplies that toner to photoconductive element to develop a latent image thereon. Typically, it is advantageous if the toner layer has a uniform thickness and a uniform charge level. As is known in the art, one typical approach to regulating the toner on the toner carrier is to employ a doctor (or metering) blade. While there have been a number of doctor blade designs proposed in the art, there remains a need for alternative designs that address the special concerns of the electrophotographic development process.